Are Pre-Filled THC Vape Oil Cartridges Worth It?

Pre-filled THC vape oil cartridges are skyrocketing in popularity. 510 thread batteries are flying off shelves at smoke shops everywhere. Are they worth the hype though? Well, it all depends on what kind of cannabis consumer you are. We’ll go over everything you need to know about them.

What Do Vape Oil Cartridges Consist Of?

The cartridge has an atomizer inside. The atomizer is the heating element and wick for absorbing oil. It is contained in glass or plastic along with the oil. The oil mixture can be made with a number of ingredients including:

Propylene Glycol (PG)

Polyethylene Glycol (PEG)

Vegetable Glycerin (VG)

Coconut Oil

So you’re obviously getting a lot more than the THC you came for. There are plenty of cutting agents that can go into vape oil cartridges. Some have their uses, others are cheap alternatives and filler.

The atomizer will have a hard time soaking up hash oil alone. Sometimes cutting agents are needed to make it less likely for your wick to dry up and burn out. However, some are more harmful than others.

Depending on their source, terpene additives can be beneficial. However, the rest are just additives to extend the shelf life and thinners to make the oil usable in cheaper cartridges.

Oil makers are “cutting” their product the same way drug dealers do to increase weight and profits. So a 1 gram cartridge usually isn’t a full gram of cannabis concentrate. It’s a mix of cutting agents and hash oil unless it’s specifically advertised otherwise.

Should I Get A Vape Oil Cartridge?

Is the cartridge for everyone? Maybe not but a ton of people are getting them for the convenience. It definitely wouldn’t hurt to have when you need to be discreet or get high on the go. If you’re the type of person to one or do both of these things, hash oil pens are the way to go.

We wouldn’t recommend it for daily use, just use it in situations where you want to smoke but can’t. This isn’t the route for those trying to be cost effective but there are some for every price range.

Obviously, you get what you pay for. The more expensive ones tend to be higher in quality and potency. It’s hard to tell what the best cartridges on the market today because many don’t lab test and share their results.

Are Vape Oil Cartridges Safe?

On top of additives, hash vape oil cartridges can contain the same harmful contaminants found in regular weed. Contaminated materials will result in a contaminated product.

So what are the chances of let’s say pesticides being in your cartridge? According to our research it’s definitely a concern cannabis consumers should look into.

The most recent figures come from the last Emerald Cup, a contest to judge the best cannabis products. SC Labs handled their testing and anything with contaminants was immediately disqualified.

You’ll be shocked to find that 34 out of 39 cartridge entries were disqualified for one or multiple detections of banned and questionable pesticides. So you’re really going to want to look into the source of your THC pen cartridges.

Final Hit: Vape Oil Cartridges

So they’re worth it if you’re on the go and want to be discreet. There will be no lingering smell so you can be blasted but no one would know unless you told them. However, there are some concerns to look into. Make sure the vape oil cartridges you purchase are safe and from a reliable source.

Ab is a New York based Green Rush Daily staff writer. During his time at Stony Brook University, he specialized in advanced research and analytical writing. He attends glass art shows supporting independent artists and stays up to date with the latest product innovations.